


An Alternative Road Trip

by Mayoki



Category: FFXV Kingsglaive, Final Fantasy XV
Genre: AU, Bromance, F/M, Fun, Gen, Humour, Road Trip, Romance, Some sad bits, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-03
Updated: 2016-09-30
Packaged: 2018-08-12 19:07:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7945777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mayoki/pseuds/Mayoki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU take on the end of Kingsglaive where Luna, Crowe, Nyx and Libertus are on a roadtrip of their own when they leave the burning remains of Lucis on a search to reunite Luna with Noctis, and to deliver the ring to its rightful owner.</p><p>But hey, just because they've got a mission doesn't mean they can't have a little fun along the way!</p><p>PLEASE NOTE: Some spoilers for FFXV Kingsglaive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Road Trip

**Author's Note:**

> Something a bit different; after watching Kingsglaive I fell in love with the characters and wanted to write something for them. Then FlOrangey started posting her thirty day challenge (go read, it's amazing!) and I knew that it would be the perfect vehicle to explore the Kingsglaive characters. I'll do the challenge in November for the chocobros, but this time around some other characters will get some love.
> 
> So thank you to KikyoTheYeti for the challenge! (http://kikyotheyeti.tumblr.com/post/148890074015/edited-since-the-release-date-of-ffxv-changed-i) and thank you to FlOrangey for the inspiration and reminder!
> 
> There's some Kingsglaive spoilers in here (not many) and it is obviously alternate universe. Also there will be pairings though I won't play on the romance too much: Nyx/Luna and Libertus/Crowe.
> 
> Well this was fun to write! ^^

'Well that could have gone worse,' Libertus said, rubbing his hand against his cheek and leaving a smear of dirt in its wake. Ahead part of a bridge collapsed with an earth-shattering roar, throwing a cloud of dust into the already smouldering air.

Crowe stared at her friend in disbelief. 'Struggling to think of what's worse than _total destruction of the kingdom_. Little help with that?'

'We're alive,' Luna pointed out.

That silenced the other two and for a moment they took in the sight of the chaos. From their vantage point at the top of a high road it was easy to pick out the mounds of rubble that had once been high rise buildings, or the burning flames that blinked like torches as cars burned in the grids of streets. The morning sky was streaked pink and gold as the sun began to rise and throw light on the darkness of what had occurred. The stench of burning and blood hung heavy in air still hot from the fires and the fighting. The distant echoes of screams of pain, of terror, of despair, reached their ears even from the heart of Insomnia.

'We're alive,' Luna repeated, though there was no smile on her lips. It was hardly a victory. Even now she could see the tin soldiers making patrols in the streets; they walked mechanically and shot wounded civilians with no guilt or regret. They were programmed to clean up the mess. People were the mess.

'We need to go,' Libertus said. 'Lady Lunafreya, we need to get you out of Lucis before the Nifs find us.'

Luna hesitated for a moment, her pale gaze sweeping the cityscape as if searching for something.

Crowe knew exactly what she was looking for, and stepped toward the former princess to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. 'He'll catch us up. He's not gonna let us have all the fun.'

Luna nodded once before getting back into the car as Libertus held the door for her. Weariness flooded her body as she sank into the back seat. Her hands trembled as she attempted to fasten the buckle. Flashes of King Regis in his final moments kept invading her thoughts so that she had to physically rub her eyes to push away the afterimages.

'How about some music?' Libertus asked as he started up the car. To everyone's relief though it whined a little in protest the engine sprang to life.

'Music?' Crowe asked, discreetly nodding her head to the backseat. 'Seriously?'

'Well why the hell not? It'd do us all good after that crazy shit,' Libertus said, but the rebuff had shaken his confidence so that he didn't touch the radio.

After a few moments of silence, however, Luna leaned forward between the seats and turned the radio on. Instantly loud rock music flooded the car; a screaming voice and heavy bass that startled Libertus enough that he swerved into the other side of the road and narrowly missed a giant crater in the surface caused by a flaming fireball.

He exhaled sharply as he straightened the car again and Luna switched the station and turned the volume down on the pop song that was playing.

'Wow, didn't know the prince was into crap like that,' Libertus said.

'Yeah because the two of you were practically besties,' Crowe teased. She leaned her elbow on the windowsill for comfort and wound her fingers through her hair.

'We talked a couple times,' Libertus said defensively.

'Did he know your name?'

Libertus pouted grumpily and sank forward to lean against the steering wheel. 'Every single damn time he called me Nyx.'

Crowe snorted and nudged her friend with her elbow. 'Oooh, _burn_.'

'Knock it off,' Libertus said, pulling away from her grumpily. But he couldn't stay grumpy, not with Crowe finally wearing a lighter expression.

'He used to like classical music,' Luna said softly from the backseat.

'Classical?' Crowe said, turning to face the blonde. 'Now I'll admit I never painted my nails with the prince like Libertus did-'

'Watch it,' Libertus growled.

'But I can't see him into that kind of stuff. I bet the King would have tried, and his advisor guy. The one with glasses.'

'He was probably forced into it when he was younger. I haven't seen him in a long time,' Luna admitted. 'I suppose his tastes will have changed. The two of you probably know him better than I do anymore.'

'No way,' Crowe said. 'No, you spent all that time with him you said. I'm sure that counts for something.'

'He was eight,' Luna said with a sad smile. 'At eight years old you've hardly finished changing. I wonder what he's really like. I've seen him on the news of course.'

'Which tells you that he's hot as hell,' Libertus said. His cheeks reddened under the layer of grime and dirt when Crowe looked at him strangely. 'Just saying, that's what all the ladies think. And some of the men too. Stop looking at me like that! You're judging me.'

'Damn right I am,' Crowe said, then laughed and punched his arm.  'I'll admit he's kind of handsome. But being handsome doesn't mean he's right for you.'

'The king and the emperor had a deal, though,' Libertus said.

'And the emperor screwed everyone over and kind of reneged on that deal,' Crowe shot back. 'I don't think Luna marrying the prince will bring Lucis back. Or all the friends we lost. Our homes are rubble, we have _nothing._ Luna should at least…she should be able to pick who she marries. That's all I'm sayin'. It's the least she deserves. God knows there's little enough in this world that's good, you should at least get to be with a guy you want.'

Luna reached out to rest her hand upon Crowe's shoulder. Under her breath she whispered: 'thank you.'

Then they fell into silence again as Libertus navigated the ruined road. They had to go slowly where the tarmac had been ripped up, or where cars sat burned out or parts of buildings had collapsed and blocked the way. But eventually they saw the exit signs.

Luna looked out of the back window, watching the burning city and the rising sun. 'He…'

'We need to go, Princess,' Libertus mumbled reluctantly. 'There's only a few soldiers here. We're not gonna get a better chance than this.'

Luna's arms wrapped around her body as a chill ran through her. She bowed her head and took a deep breath. 'Of course. I apologise.'

Libertus forged ahead, trying to go slowly so as not to attract the attention of the robotic soldiers but it seemed they were under orders not to let anything through. As they approached the booths granting access to the world outside of Lucis' borders, a dozen mechanical soldiers quickly converged on them.

'Dammit,' Libertus said, trying to swerve, but the soldiers threw themselves at the car, latched on with metallic limbs and began sawing through the bodywork.

'Not good, not good,' Crowe muttered. 'Step on it, Libertus, you're in a freaking _Audi_. I'm pretty sure they go more than thirty.'

'They do when you don't have soldiers literally dragging you backward.'

Two soldiers had clamped on to the rear bumper and were digging their heels into the road. Sparks flew in the rearview mirror and the screech of metal rose high in the air.

'Just keep going!' Crowe shouted as an inhuman face appeared in her window.

There was a knock against glass, once, twice, then the ear splitting shatter as the window caved in. Crowe yelped and pulled away from the window, knocking into Libertus as a metal hand came reaching in for her. The car swerved and hit the side of the barrier, metal crunched loudly as the side of the car was scratched.

'Do you know how to drive?' Crowe asked as sharp fingers swiped at her arm, scratching painfully across her forearm. 'Shit, keep it steady.'

'I'm trying!' Libertus said. 'Crowe watch out!'

'I see it.' Crowe unclipped her belt and crawled half into Libertus' lap as she kicked her boot at the hand trying to grab her.

'Come back here,' Luna instructed.

'Okay, give me a sec.'

Suddenly Luna reached out and began whacking at the metal arm with her shoe. The hand drew back long enough for Crowe to be able to get to the safety of the back seat, away from its clutches.

'Nice thinking, princess.'

Luna smiled, but it faded quickly enough. 'Behind you!'

Another window caved in and diamonds of glass rained down on Crowe's back. A hand tangled in her hair and dragged her back so that her head was hanging out of the window. The cool rush of air and the spinning scenery made her feel dizzy and sick as her hands reached up to try and dislodge the machine. Luna crawled over her, trying to pry the hand away. Suddenly it loosed, and both women tumbled to the other side of the car as the mecha tried to climb in the window.

'Hold on tight!' Libertus said, then slammed the car into the barrier again with a smash of metal and glass and the stench of burning rubber and hot oil. Half of the soldier's body was ripped away and the upper half simply lost its grip.

'Oh man, more in front of us,' Crowe said. A fresh dozen or so were forming a barrier in the road, holding out their arms to link together to form a metal wall. 'We'll never get through, the road is too narrow.'

'I can ride the barrier, try to go on the opposite side of the road.'

'How the hell are you gonna do that?' Crowe yelled.

'I have no idea but I'm panicking, alright?' Libertus yelled back.

'Can you still warp?' Luna asked.

'No,' Libertus said. 'Guys, need an answer soon or we're pancakes.'

'I…I don't…' Crowe said helplessly, leaning forward in her seat so that her hands gripped the back of Libertus' seat.

A blinding blue light erupted from the sky, and suddenly a man appeared in front of the soldiers. Libertus screeched the car to a halt as swords and magic flew about, filling the air with a magnetic charge. Smoke billowed from the machines as they lay twisted and broken on the ground, twitching as their electrical circuits tried desperately to bring them back to life.

'Is that…?' Libertus asked, peering through the spiderweb crack in the windshield.

'Well I'll be damned,' Crowe said with a wide grin. She leaned her head out of the broken window and waved smoke away from her face. 'Little late, Hero.'

The man tuned to them; his clothes were frayed, his hair was a mess and his body was burned, bruised and filthy, but he still wore a smile as he approached the car. 'Fashionably late.' He looked past Crowe to Luna, and bowed his head a little. 'Lady Lunafreya.'

'Nyx Ulric,' she returned, a small smile on her pale pink lips.

Crowe sniggered. 'Well. Looks like the gang is all here. You can take shotgun, Tough Guy.'

'Thanks.' Nobody missed the way Nyx limped, or how he winced as he slowly lowered himself into the seat. But for now it was enough that he was alive and there with them. 'Where are we headed?'

'We need to find this elusive rock loving prince,' Libertus said, starting up the engine again. This time its reluctance was even more apparent, and the exhaust blew once, then twice, as a cloud of dark smoke erupted behind them. 'And a garage.'

'Yeah, he's not gonna love you if you hand him his car back looking like you had it crushed into a cube.'

'Road trip!' Crowe announced, then shrugged as everyone turned to look at her. 'What? I've always wanted to do a road trip of Eos. You see it all the time in magazines and stuff, how people find themselves and find romance.'

'And get to eat exotic food,' Libertus added.

Nyx held up a hand. 'Whoa, slow down guys. We don't have the money-'

'We'll think of a way,' Luna said, leaning forward to smile at Nyx. 'Why not have a little fun along the way. Who knows when we'll find Prince Noctis? It could be a while. We'll need to think of ways of earning our travel money.'

Nyx exhaled long and hard, then turned to the three eager faces. They were bloodied, bruised, and tired as hell. But the trip was giving them hope. They'd lost everything and they needed something to keep them going. This was it. 'Alright. Where first?'

The car exhaust gave one last almighty explosion then the engine cut out. Everyone was silent as the car slowly rolled to a gentle stop.

'…Well I'm not pushing it,' Crowe said.


	2. Driving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group's continued escape from Lucis, along with many of the survivors trying to get away from the newly overtaken kingdom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of banter as they drive an awesome car through some lovely scenery. Sorry it ends a little abruptly. >>;
> 
> The next chapter will have a little more action, I promise, this was more me testing out the interactions between these guys!
> 
> Also sorry I'm not doing one a day, I will update as quickly as possible!

'You know what I hate?' Libertus asked.

Crowe sighed and rolled down her window on the passenger side so that she could hang her arm out of the car. 'People, small portions at restaurants, sandals with bars between your toes, lavender scented bubble bath-'

'Traffic jams,' Libertus said. 'Though I really hate lavender too.'

'What's wrong with lavender?' Luna asked from the back seat.

Libertus' face scrunched up. 'It's just such a pungent scent, it gets right in the back of your throat.'

Crowe grinned and twisted in her seat to face the other woman. 'Libertus is a delicate flower, he needs subtle scents in his toiletries.'

'I just hate lavender! It reminds me of old ladies.'

'I like lavender,' Crowe said defensively.

'Well, when I say _old_ ladies I meant…you know…'

Crowe stared at him as the uncomfortable silence drifted on.

'Yeah, just keep digging, buddy,' Nyx said, cracking open an eye from where he had been napping on the backseat.

Libertus jumped onto the distraction. 'Nyx, finally! Didn't think you were _ever_ going to wake up. How you doing?'

Nyx stretched his arms as widely as he could in the confined space and without hitting into Luna who was sat beside him. His shoulders popped painfully but the aches in his muscles were starting to ease off. 'Better. Don't feel quite like I was beaten to a bloody smear.'

'Well you were,' Crowe said, remembering how they had needed to get both the car and their friend fixed up after their escape from Lucis, a detour that had taken them out of action for a few days. 'Do you want another potion?'

'No I'm fine,' Nyx said.

'Tough guy, if you're trying to impress someone then can I just point out your rather ungraceful face plant when you tried to get out of the car at the garage probably erased any traces of respect they had for you. Take the damn potion.'

Nyx grimaced. 'They taste disgusting. Do we have a beer to chase it with?'

'No beer,' Libertus confirmed sadly. 'As soon as we get out of the damned traffic jam I'm finding a convenience store to fix that problem.'

'How long have we been sat at standstill?' Nyx asked.

'Twenty two minutes,' Luna said after a glance at the dashboard clock.

'Even after four days it seems there's a lot of evacuation going on,' Crowe said, peering across the lane to where an SUV was sat in the lines of traffic. A young family were arguing behind the thick glass windows, a small child cried in the back seat.

Eventually the queues began moving again and the Audi crept forward at glacial speed.

'Alright, I'm sick of this shit,' Libertus said, turning off as they came up to a junction. 'We'll hit the back roads. Maybe they'll be a bit clearer. Also if I don't find a bathroom in the next thirty seconds then Prince Noctis is really going to hate me.'

The country lane they ended up on was thankfully much quieter and had a petrol station half a mile away. Libertus parked haphazardly and leaped from the car, the others not far behind to form a queue at the single stall. One they filled up the car and bought bacon rolls for lunch they were back on the road, with Crowe in the driver's seat this time and Libertus riding shotgun.

'This is a pretty sweet ride,' Crowe said after a while.

'Nothing but he best when you're royalty,' Libertus muttered bitterly. Then flushed a deep red. 'I mean…present company excluded ma'am, I just meant-'

Luna laughed softly. 'It's fine. I didn't have a car like this but I wasn't exactly wanting for material items.' Just human comfort.

'Well then, let's get the roof down and enjoy the ride with the wind ruffling our hair!' Libertus said, hand hovering over the dash.

Crowe as the first to speak after a few moments. 'So how long do we let him look before we tell him the roof doesn't retract?'

'What?' Libertus exploded. 'Fancy car like this and the roof doesn't go down? What a waste. First chance we get we're ditching this piece of shit and buying a decent car.'

'And buying it with what?' Nyx asked, amused.

'Easy; we stick Libertus on the streets and sell his body to raise the gil,' Crowe said.

'That could take forever,' Nyx countered.

'Hey buddy, I'll have you know my body is _highly_ sought after.'

'Yes because you're a fugitive now,' Crowe said.

'I'd pay,' Luna said amiably.

'Thank you, Princess. That's why I like you best.'

'She's been brought up to be polite. She's lying,' Nyx said.

'I'm not!' Luna said hotly. 'I find Libertus very charming. Even when he swears.'

'Which is ninety percent of the time,' Crowe pointed out.

'Charming, huh?' Nyx said. His gaze was focused on her. 'So how much would you pay for him? No funny stuff, just a night chatting away with him being his charming self.'

'I…' Colour rose in Luna's pale cheeks at the question and attention; even the car engine had fallen silent as if waiting for her answer. 'I don't know about these things.'

Crowe snorted. 'Take a guess. I'd pay ten gil for him. And I'd make him buy me drinks all night.'

'That's not enough!' Luna said quickly. 'Maybe…five hundred gil?'

Nyx grinned and wiggled his eyebrows when Libertus glanced his way. 'Pretty sweet. So…how much would you pay for my company?'

Luna's cheeks burned brighter. 'I am _not_ doing this!'

'Don't be a jerk, Hero!' Crowe said. 'But hey, since we're playing the game, how much would you pay for my company, Princess?'

'Six hundred gil,' Luna said instantly.

'More than me?' Libertus groaned.

'I'd have more to talk about with Crowe, I haven't been able to spend as much time alone with her as I have with you.'

'I don't think racing down the street for our lives counts as quality time,' Libertus grumbled. 'I was outside the car more than I was in it.'

'Hey guys shut up!' Crowe said.

'Wow, thanks,' Libertus said.

'No no, look.'

The sun was beginning to set and now that they were out on the country they could see the sky looming ahead. There wasn't another car in sight as they passed through fields tall with crops in every shade of green, and drove toward a horizon painting a rich canvas of peach and magenta splashes against a gentle lavender sky.

'Wow,' Libertus breathed. 'Even with the world going to hell there's still beauty in Eos.'

'Yeah,' Crowe said, leaning against the steering wheel so she could see more of the sights.

'Definitely,' Nyx said, but instead of the sky he was watching Luna.

 


	3. Coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group stop for a quick coffee. Apparently it's not something they do often.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, had dental problems and been revising for exams! ;__; After Wednesday I will be free for a month! ^^
> 
> Sorry its a short chapter too, but I wanted to mark the date (original release date) and the fact it's International Coffee Day! ♥

'It's pronounced lah- _tay_ ,' Crowe said.

'I thought it was more like _laay_ t, and you stress the a?' Nyx said.

'That's just "late",' Crowe said. 'Who would want a late coffee? That sounds stupid.'

'These are all way too fancy for me, which one is coffee?' Libertus asked.

'They're all coffee,' Crowe said.

'Uh, pretty sure earl grey tea isn't coffee,' Libertus said.

Crowe threw up her hands. 'Then why are you asking me? You can read just as well as I can.'

'I wasn't asking _you_ , I was posing a question to the group.'

'Well you were looking at me when you said it.'

'I had to look somewhere!'

'Ahem,' the barista coughed politely. 'Have you decided on your order yet?'

Crowe noticed the large irritated queue behind them and blushed a little. 'We'll both have lattes. Libertus you'll love it.'

'I'll have a cappuccino,' Nyx said.

'How do you even know what that is?' Libertus hissed.

'I'm a hip, happening young man. Of course I know what a cappuccino is,' Nyx said, then smiled at the barista. 'But can I have it black, I don't like milk in my coffee.'

The barista blinked. 'You want a…cappuccino _without milk?_ '

'Please,' Nyx said, then turned to Luna. 'What will it be? Green tea? You look like a delicate green tea drinker.'

'Hot chocolate with whipped cream please,' Luna said.

'Chocolate sauce on that?' the barista asked.

'Definitely.'

'I want that!' Libertus yelled. 'I don't want my late, I want a Luna thing.'

Crowe nodded. 'Yeah me too, I'll have what Luna ordered too.

'Uh…' the barista looked between them. 'So three hot chocolates?'

Nyx handed over a twenty gil note. 'Make it four. That sounds pretty awesome.'

Once they were sat down at two small tables by the window with their hot chocolates, everything was a little more settled. For a few minutes they held their spoons in hand and hovered around the top of the whipped cream, each person trying to work out the best (and most dignified) way to go about demolishing their drink. Crowe was first; she abandoned the spoon and just drank from her cup. The luscious mix of warm chocolate and cold cream was melt in the mouth heaven, and her eyes closed happily as she drank.

'Pfft!' Libertus laughed as she set her cup down.

'What?' Crowe's eyes narrowed across the table.

'Nothin'. Nothing at all,' Libertus said, then did that annoying thing where he shared a knowing look with Nyx who was sat at the table next to them and wearing an identical amused look on his face.

' _What?_ ' Crowe repeated.

This time even Luna was smiling, and politely looking down into her own drink so as to avoid Crowe's eyes.

'What? You think I drink like a commoner? Well news for you, I am. And you are. And-'

'Crowe?' Libertus cut her off. He reached across the table and flicked the tip of her nose with his thumb, then showed her the little smear of cream. 'You looked adorable.'

'Really did,' Nyx said, shoulder shuddering with the repressed need to laugh.

Crowe kicked out under the table but there was no bite to her attack. 'Jerk. Well so what, I'd have gone to the bathroom and seen it sooner or later. At least I'm drinking mine before it goes cold. What are you guys just going to stare at your drinks or something?'

Deciding that looking silly was better than letting their delicious treats go cold, everyone else began cautiously sipping their drinks. Before long the whipped cream was gone and the dregs of hot chocolates circled the bottoms of their cups. Libertus was using the selfie camera on his phone to clean his face with a napkin while Nyx opted to simply rub his face over with his own napkin, assuming he'd removed the worst.

'All gone?' he asked Luna for confirmation.

Her pale blue gaze lingered on his face for a moment longer than was strictly necessary, before her expression softened. 'You have a little here.' She pointed at the bridge of her own nose, indicating the spot on Nyx's nose where his cup had rested and left a little semicircle of chocolate and cream.

Nyx swiped at the general area with his napkin. 'Gone?'

'No, you missed it. A little higher.'

Nyx tried again. 'Now?'

'Still a bit, you got some of it. No, further left now, no too far left!' she laughed a little and shook her head.

'Well, clearly I fail at taking orders, so here,' Nyx held out the napkin to her.

Luna took it and leaned across the table so that she could gently dab away the sticky sweet mess from his face. Once she was done she was slow to pull her hand away, and stayed leaning across the table with the faces inches apart…

'Yo, you guys even listening?' Libertus said.

Luna blinked, then a flush rose in her pale cheeks as she sat back down in her seat a little too quickly to be considered discreet.

'Sorry for not giving you my full and undivided attention, Libertus,' Nyx said, though there was a slight strain to his voice and his gaze kept darting across the table to Luna.

'Just asking if you were ready to go and if you wanted to get take out coffee. I never got to try a late.'

'Lah-tay,' Crowe groaned.


End file.
